What's the one great idea you'd share with a Newbie?

[PMC]

Keep your Cat5 cables as far away from the power cords that feed the controllers

 

never assume one of your watertight cases that you keep your 12 CCR controllers in is actually, watertight (learned this lesson last night and had to purchase 6 new CCR power supplies today, and they shipped this afternoon, again this is why I will always buy from LOR)

 

Never broadcast your light show on the radio beyond where you can see the display

 

Use Dropbox or other cloud based servers to store your sequences on

 

never ask your spouse if this looks right?

 

and after you spend 100's of hours sequencing/installing/tuning/organizing and your looking at your light show and a little kid walks up and says "I Like your lights Mister" at that point your realize its all worth it

[tjflory]

Zip tie the cat 5 cable to a stake or the pole you mounted the controller to so that when, not if, when you trip over it you won't pull it out of the jack and damage your controller.

I use a short (1.5 ft) cat5 cable from the controller to a coupler that is firmly zip tied to the stand outside the controller, then connect the longer cable to the other end of the coupler. That way if it gets pulled or vandalized, the 2$ coupler will get the damage and not the controller.

 

tj

[Bizywk]

I'm running three different networks, an LOR network, an E1.31 network (Universe 3-5 & 7 for smart pixels), and a 9 chan Holiday Coro/ENTECPRO network (Universe 1 for dumb pixels and floods).  

 

Due to time contstraints, I used factory made CAT-5 cables which were diligently labeled on BOTH ends, but occasionally I was still tripped up in trying to figure out which cord was which network.   It never bit me this year because I was careful and took a lot of extra time, but In the spring, I think I'll fix that by dropping back to two networks and running a different color of custom length CAT-5 for each network.  

 

I also found some interesting inexpensive zip-tie labels on ebay the other day.  They're normal zip ties with a molded on flat plastic head ready for cable/network identification markings as needed.    They're small, weather resistant, inexpensive and they dont come undone until you want them to.    

 

I also found that I can buy Netgear switches (~ $18) and stationed them in dryboxes at various points in the display.  This allowed me to run a main trunk line for the E1.31 network to the switch then branch out from there to the props saving plenty of cable, time, clutter and minimized opportunities for electrical interferance from electrical lines.  

[Carlos Barreto]

Well since its cold outside I did this to get everyone in the mood for some Hot Chocolate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYlKpyRb4_c

[wbaker4]

Back-up your sequences often!

 

Take a video of each of your songs, so you can look at them and tweak them.  This is an on-going process for me while the lights are on.

 

Important to keep all connections off the ground.  I also put tape around them too.

 

Put all circuits on GFCIs (no-brainer).

 

Have multiple SD Cards on hand so you make changes to your shows quicker.  Never know when a SD card will go bad.  This assumes you use one of LORs Show Directors.

 

Merry Christmas!

[dgrant]

OK, so here's another tip that I'm embarrassed to say happened to me tonight.

Great tip #2-Know where your sprinkler lines are so that you don't put a snow fence stake through the main water line causing a mini fountain in your front lawn! You know, if I WANTED to hit the line I could have pounded stakes in all day without hitting it, yet, I got it on the first try..... Better yet, I didn't just hit the line, I took out the "T" so it is an even bigger repair job. I've only been in this house for a little over a year and discovered tonight that there is no valve to turn off the sprinklers.... Had to turn it off at the road! Why do,we do this again?

I did this too during the setup. So I guess the lesson learned here is to know precisely where the sprinkler lines are and even mark them out if needed. When I go to take down the display in January, I have the fun of digging up and repairing that line. Sprinklers are off anyway, but that line happens to feed the pool too. If you do puncture one, make sure you mark it so you can find it.

[EvilM0nkey]

When you're building your channel configuration in the sequence editor; arrange your channels in some sort of order as they will be installed in your show (Ex top to bottom of the house, left yard to right yard etc...) That way when you start to sequence you can easily make nice clean sweeps that turn into cool effects when it goes live!

 

http://youtu.be/pLO887VRb3M?t=19s

[George Simmons]

When you're building your channel configuration in the sequence editor; arrange your channels in some sort of order as they will be installed in your show (Ex top to bottom of the house, left yard to right yard etc...) That way when you start to sequence you can easily make nice clean sweeps that turn into cool effects when it goes live!

No matter how you arrange your channels initially, once you've got them set up, leave them in the exact same order FOREVER. This will be your Master list. Never change the order of the channels. Never delete a row. Always add new channels ONLY to the bottom of the list. Follow those rules WITHOUT EXCEPTION and no matter how big your display gets you'll have a fast and perfect way to update sequences from year to year.

Create a second track and copy as many channels as you want from the master list and make as many groups as you need - for sweeps just like the evil one described above, or to group colors, or like items, or anything. But always leave the list in the master track unchanged.

[rainyoregonchristmas]

No matter how you arrange your channels initially, once you've got them set up, leave them in the exact same order FOREVER. This will be your Master list. Never change the order of the channels. Never delete a row. Always add new channels ONLY to the bottom of the list. Follow those rules WITHOUT EXCEPTION and no matter how big your display gets you'll have a fast and perfect way to update sequences from year to year.

Create a second track and copy as many channels as you want from the master list and make as many groups as you need - for sweeps just like the evil one described above, or to group colors, or like items, or anything. But always leave the list in the master track unchanged.

 

 

NOW YOU TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I redesigned my display this year, and shuffled up where my channels were.  I thought hey, it can't be that hard to just cut and paste to the new sequence!  HA!!!  I started DAYS late this year because of that stupid mistake! 

 

( I seem to like exclamation points!!!!!  )

[TheJackal]

I love this thread. Thank you for starting it

[fxdwg]

+1 , 5th year using LOR, and I have done this since day 1, (although just learned to use tracks two years ago to group similar elements and/or color schemes) but nothing ever gets changed or removed from my original channel configuration, even elements that I only used the first year, they are still there as place holders so updating sequences from year to year aren't as difficult.

[Mickesgal]

I'm getting great ideas! Wish I had known about this forum BEFORE I had set up my display! LoL learning the hard way

[vdipaola73]

I haven't mastered the Visualizer so I use the same animation I had created years ago. This is my first year with LOR and I find something to tweak every time I go outside. I do find that sometimes it's too blinky blinky and I don't want anyone having a seizure. I go outside and watch a little every night and then adjust. Sometimes what looks good when you're sequencing isn't as good in person.

Take your time!!! I started setting up a little late then as some know fell ill for over 2 weeks. I completely underestimated the time involved. Living in the north east and having a full time job I left myself 1-2 hours a day of light to work and then the cold started setting in. So plan, plan, plan.

If I think of anything else I'll add it

[wbaker4]

If at all possible, keep one or two unassigned channels on each controller.

 

That way if a channel goes bad, you can reassign it to the spare and change the connector on the controller without having to run a long extension cord to another controller.

[Herbaclaus]

The time you spend in planning your display will save you X times the time at the back end.

 

Also keep spare channels on each controller unless you have a particular controller completely slaved (ie a Mega tree). That way if you tweek and need a channel its there for you.

 

Test your lights before putting them up. I string with power on. If I have a twitchy set I pull it.

 

Simple is sometimes better looking and easier.

[a31ford]

Test EVERY installed string or prop with an extension cord (pluged into a wall outlet) and NOT a controller, BEFORE you hang / install the next.

 

It's a real bummer going into 30 or so strings to find the dead one that was the 3rd or 4th placed.

 

It's also a bad one, to have a shorted string take out a channel on a controller...................

 

Greg

[Bizywk]

We've had static displays for many years and I always taped up the cord connections very tighly with electrical tape and never suffered a GFI trip.  Going into LOR this year with all the separate channels was a whole new ballgame for us this year.  As we looked at our plan and saw the exploding number of channels to get the most out of the LOR hardware, and our first use of vampire/SP2 connectors, I was pursuaded by advice to not tape these up this year.   The thought behind the advice is sound in that the idea is to allow water to drain from the connections if it finds its way in there.   This year, I lost 2 days because rain permeated a number of connections.  It finally took an air compressor to blow out all the lines.  We took the time to go back and re-tape all the connectors and the problem didnt come back.    While there are competing ideas out there, I recommend taking the time to tightly wrap all the electrical connections with a decent quality electrical tape.    

[wbaker4]

Backup your sequences often.  Lots of time spent doing all the sequencing - sucks to lose any of it.

 

Check your extension cords for opens, reversed neutrals, etc.

 

Don't cheap out on extension cords.  14 gauge is a minimum for anything connected to a controller.  12 gauge for long power runs.

 

I just got finished converting all of my controllers to a single power cord.  In my 8 years, I never need more than 15 amps per controller.

 

Walt

[Jim Hans]

Being take down season......

Remember, you're not just taking stuff down, you're preparing for next years setup. Don't rush! Test everything before you put it away. Set repairs to the side and fix during the off season. You will not want to do it during setup time. Clean everything before putting it away, mud holds moisture and will cause rust. Take pictures of your setup before you take it down..... You will forget! If you make custom length cords, label them for easy use next year. Label your boxes with what's inside and an inventory of what's in it.

Other take down tips?

[wbaker4]

Label your lights and put reference points on the runs.  In other words, a light for window #4 starts in the lower left corner, wraps around counter clockwise.  If that run goes to another window, label where on the window it starts and the direction you wrap it!  Zip ties and duct tape work great for labeling!

 

Pictures of your current setup are worth 1000 words!

 

If you are sloppy putting things away, you will be very frustrated when you go and set things up next year!

 

Walt